News - Airport

When Curfew 4 Canberra's campaign for a curfew at Canberra Airport came up in the ACT Legislative Assembly following a well-patronised public forum hosted by the Green's Deb Foskey, ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope's assessment was - to say the least - extraordinary.

He dismissed the umbrella group as primarily residents of Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan and Wamboin, with only four Canberrans present. His claims were just plain wrong - of roughly 80 attendees at that meeting, 59
signed a petition, with 45 of them giving Canberra addresses.

Apart from that, the disdain he appeared to hold for the goals of Curfew 4 Canberra was atrocious. The group is pursuing a positive and balanced outcome that serves the needs of the Canberra Airport, but with a measure of respite for residents by way of a curfew between 11pm and 6am only.

Mr Stanhope's remarks (from Hansard) follow, together with our emails to him expressing our disgust with his comments. He has responded to these emails, but it is one of those ministerials that dances around the substantive issues without answering any - read it for yourself (PDF170KB).

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From: Alan Kerlin - GCC President
To: Jon Stanhope
Date: Tue, Feb 19, 2008
Subject: Airport question in Legislative Assembly

Dear Chief Minister
 
I have just read your response to a question from Dr Deb Foskey in the Legislative Assembly regarding the Canberra Airport's Master Plan and community campaigning for a curfew.
 
Jon I have to say that I was disappointed by what I read. You were dismissive of the meeting and of the community members who attended it. You were dismissive of the concerns being raised, seemingly just because residents from Jerrabomberra were/are involved in the campaign.
 
Let me assure you that Curfew 4 Canberra is not limited to Jerrabomberra or other NSW residents. It is an umbrella group including the North Canberra Community Council, the Gungahlin Community Council, the Old Narrabundah Community Council, the Hackett Residents' Association, the Watson Residents' Association, the Pialligo Resident's Association and more.
 
So in piling scorn on the attendees at that meeting and the intent of Curfew 4 Canberra, you are by extension including all of us. Is this what you intended?
 
Yes the group includes the Jerrabomberra Residents Association, and yes as a former Councillor for an electorate that included the Sunshine Coast Airport and a development in a very similar situation, I remain perplexed as to their support for residential development at Tralee. In fact during 1997, my letter to the editor of the Canberra Times was published in which I expressed amazement that Jerrabomberra itself should even be getting consideration by the Queanbeyan City Council. But this issue and this campaign is about the Airport Master Plan, and the future impacts on the entire region - with or without Tralee.
 
Jon, I'm going to take this opportunity to explain to you the concerns we have at GCC about the airport's master plan. As I'm sure you can understand, and I hope you agree with, GCC is very concerned about the plans for further commercial development envisaged in the master plan, and the extent to which that expansion would continue to undermine potential for employment creation in the Gungahlin town centre. And of course there is the not inconsequential cost burden this expansion would place on the ACT Government and by extension we ratepayers through need for additional road construction and public transport provision to service such an outlying employment base.
 
But that is GCC's concern (and yours I believe) - not the concern of Curfew 4 Canberra. This umbrella group was established by all of us to pursue a curfew for the airport now, rather than leaving it until much later, when it would be so much harder to establish. By getting a curfew in place now, anyone who may be considering buying into the airport - either completely or as a related operation - knows what they are buying into, and can have no unrealistic expectations of expansion at the cost of residents.
 
We are also keen to get modification to the current Noise Abatement Zone, which excludes most of the Gungahlin suburbs - both existing and yet to be built - that are north and east of Flemington Road. So let me be clear about this - the suburbs of Kenny and Bonner - to be developed in the near future by your LDA - will potentially have land sale prices negatively impacted by aircraft zone due to being outside the Noise Abatement Zone.
 
In your answer to Dr Foskey you pointed out that the airport is an important economic driver for Canberra and we acknowledge that wholeheartedly. But what we are asking is that balance be introducing into the equation early in the piece. You also pointed out that you have no legal ability to force anything on the airport and this we acknowledge. But you now have a very strong relationship with the Federal Government and they most certainly can influence what happens at the airport - through legislation and through tenant supply. What we are asking is for the support and lobbying assistance of your government in pursuit of these goals.
 
Lastly, we are concerned about the process whereby the Airport - the proponent of any expansion that may result from the Master Plan and clearly with a vested financial interest in the outcome - is the same agency that conducts the entire consultation process on that plan - from meetings, to submission receipt and compilation, to preparation of mitigation measures to respond to concerns raised in those submissions. Surely you cannot believe that is an appropriate situation? Surely your government would support the concerns that Curfew 4 Canberra have about this situation and will support our efforts to have the Federal Government resume these processes and reintroduce some objectivity into them?
 
I sincerely hope that I am misinterpreting your words to the Assembly, but it is hard to see how given they are in Hansard. I welcome your clarification, and look forward to your government's support for the objectives of Curfew 4 Canberra.
 
I also invite you to peruse the group's website so that you can better understand the group and our objectives.

--
Regards,
Alan Kerlin
President
Gungahlin Community Council

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Dear Chief Minister
 
Subsequent to writing to you, I read your reply to Curfew 4 Canberra, in which you said "the Government has not finalised its position in relation to the airport. Consequently it would not be appropriate to meet with you at this time."
 
I'm sorry, but seriously? Since when does a government make up its mind on such a significant issue before taking the temperature of its community?
 
One of the reasons I returned to Canberra is that I support the capital's system of regional government (no states), and the way ACT has the network of community councils through which it can count on representation and a clear channel of communication to the government of the day.
 
I would suggest Mr Stanhope that meeting with the community yourself - before finalising the government's position on the airport master plan - is exactly what you should be doing.

--
Regards,
Alan Kerlin

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Extract from Hansard, ACT Legislative Assembly, 12 February 2008, Question Time

PROOF  P3
Canberra International Airport
 
DR FOSKEY: My question is to the Chief Minister. It is in regard to the expansion
plans of Canberra International Airport. It has been said by airport proponents and
quoted by MLA Mick Gentleman at a forum last week that 99.5 per cent of the
Canberra population will not be affected by airport noise, yet I have not been able to
find any objective research or information to back up that figure. Could the
Chief Minister please advise the Assembly how the ACT government is compiling
objective information on the future noise development and greenhouse gas emission
impacts of the airport?
 
MR STANHOPE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank Dr Foskey for the question. The
question of the expansion of the airport and issues in relation to noise and indeed
other implications of the airport's master plan and vision for the future are certainly
issues worthy of exploration within this place, and certainly within the community.
 
It was in the context, of course, of public consultation on the Canberra International
Airport 2008 draft master plan that a meeting of interested and affected residents,
primarily, as I understand it, residents of Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan and Wamboin-
I think that is a fair summation of the makeup-was held. I understand-and I say this
by way of information and it does, perhaps, reflect the level of interest or concern that
is at the heart of the question that Dr Foskey asks-that there were four Canberrans at
the meeting. The rest, less four-and the four do not include Dr Foskey and
Mr Gentleman-the entire other membership at the meeting in relation to the master
plan on aircraft noise were residents of Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra and Wamboin.
Nevertheless, this is an important issue-
 
Dr Foskey: May I interrupt?

MR SPEAKER: Do you have a point of order?
 
Dr Foskey: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. That is a misrepresentation.
 
MR SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
 
Dr Foskey: Well, it is a misrepresentation.
 
MR STANHOPE: I was not at the meeting. I relied on advice or information that was
provided to me in relation to the constitution of the meeting. I think it is relevant in
the context of a discussion. Dr Foskey referred to the public meeting. The public
meeting was in relation to the airport's master plan. The issue being agitated was, of
course, the implications of aircraft noise. 
 
I find it of passing interest that the majority of people at the meeting were residents of
Jerrabomberra because of the position which the Jerrabomberra Residents Association
has to the development of Tralee. That was the irony that I was essentially pointing
out in relation to this meeting. The ACT government has been assured repeatedly by
the mayor of Queanbeyan and by the Jerrabomberra Residents Association and others
that there are no issues or implications in the development of Tralee. Yet at the first
meeting to discuss the international airport's 2008 master plan, the people most
affected, most interested and most concerned about aircraft noise or a possible
increase in aircraft noise are the residents of Jerrabomberra-the very community
which, through its residents association, continues to agitate for a private school under
the flight path and the development of Tralee, which, on all accounts, is further from
the airport than Jerrabomberra. It is ironic in the context of other representations that
are made on this issue that it is the residents of Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan,
through attendance at that public meeting, that express greater concern about these
issues.
 
In relation to aircraft noise and the airport and its operations, the ACT government, as
with all state governments, are essentially neutered in relation to our capacity to
influence airports and airport operations as a result of decisions taken by the
Howard Liberal government to actually remove from state and territory planning
adjudication or influence any issues in relation to the management and operation of
airports. Just in the last couple of years here in the ACT, whilst there was some
comfort in national capital planning authority over the airport, even that was removed
two years ago in the face of objections from the ACT government. 
 
Similarly, it was of major concern to the ACT government, as it is to every state
government in Australia, that the Howard Liberal government, in its decisions in
relation to management and planning for airports around Australia. also removed any
requirement or capacity by state and territory governments to require airports, in
relation to their growth or their master planning, to ensure that their operations, to the
extent that they impacted on things like roads and traffic, actually contributed to the
amelioration of those traffic issues. This is the regime which the Liberal Party put in
place around Australia. It does cause significant concern to this government, as it does
to other governments. In relation to the numbers which you quote, which
Mr Gentleman referred to, those 99 per cent or whatever it was are from the master 
Legislative Assembly for the ACT  12 February 2008
 
plan. Mr Gentleman and those that refer to those numbers were referring directly to
the master plan.
 
MR SPEAKER: Is there a supplementary question?
 
DR FOSKEY: Is the government prepared to consider a curfew in light of growing
community concern and in light of the increased value of information which no doubt
will be unearthed as it prepares its response to the master plan?
 
MR STANHOPE: As I indicated, the ACT government has no capacity to impose a
curfew on Canberra international airport. As a result of the planning regime put in
place by the Howard Liberal government, with the support of its branch here in the
ACT and the ACT opposition, the ACT government has no capacity to control or
influence operations at Canberra international airport. The ACT government will, of
course, engage in community debate around the expansion of the airport. In the
context of all of our commitments to triple bottom line policy making and
accountability, we need to look at all aspects of the operations of Canberra
international airport. It is one of the most significant drivers of this economy
imaginable, and over time it will become more important and more significant as an
economic driver for Canberra and the Canberra region. 
 
With respect to a review of economic opportunities in the ACT, we need to work with
Canberra international airport and the community in order to maximise and optimise
opportunities for expansion of our economic base and of industry. The airport will be
pivotal in this regard-and, over time, more and more so. In any consideration of
issues around noise, curfews, economic growth and development, we need to weigh
up the economic, social and environmental implications of the expansion of the
airport-and, indeed, of any industry. So, yes, the government will always look at the
social and environmental aspects of master planning for airport growth, an increase in
flight movements and an expansion in noise. But we will, in that consideration, also
have regard for the importance and significance of Canberra international airport to
the ACT and the region now, and, I believe, increasingly in the future. It is a major
driver; it is pivotal to our continued economic success. 
 
Dr Foskey, I refer to your protestations about the need for triple bottom line
accounting and policy making and your consideration of the social and environmental
impacts of Canberra international airport. I hope that, in your contribution to the
public meeting that you attended, you urged all those present to ensure that they
balanced the economic considerations with the social and environmental impacts and
implications of the expansion of Canberra international airport.

 

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